
Of all that Christ had said, the priests could find nothing to use
against Him save this. By misstating these words they hoped to
gain an advantage. The Romans had engaged in rebuilding and em-
bellishing the temple, and they took great pride in it; any contempt
shown to it would be sure to excite their indignation. Here Romans
and Jews, Pharisees and Sadducees, could meet; for all held the
temple in great veneration. On this point two witnesses were found
whose testimony was not so contradictory as that of the others had
been. One of them; who had been bribed to accuse Jesus, declared,
`This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build
it in three days.' Thus Christ's words were misstated. If they had
been reported exactly as He spoke them, they would not have secured
His condemnation even by the Sanhedrim."—Id.,
pp. 705, 706.
4.
When asked directly by the proper person o declare His iden-
tity, Jesus did not hesitate to answer. His words, "Thou hast said,"
are equivalent to an affirmative answer, as when He used the same
expression in answering Judas in verse 25.
In answering Caiaphas, "Christ presented the reverse of the scene
then taking place. He, the Lord of life and glory, would be seated at
God's right hand. He Would be the judge of all the earth, and from
His decision there could be no appeal. Then every secret thing would
be set in the light of God's countenance, and judgment be passed
upon every man according to his deeds."—"The
Desire of Ages,"
'. 707.
5.
According to Jewish law, as cited in the "Cambridge Bible for
Schools and Colleges," "the penalty for procuring false witnesses was
death." Other violations of the rules of Hebrew justice were, "the
trial by night, the sentence on the first day of trial, the trial of a
capital charge on the day before the Sabbath, the suborning of wit-
nesses, the direct interrogation by the high priest." Also, "the con-
demned was not to be executed on the day of his trial."
6.
"While the degrading oaths were fresh upon Peter's lips, and
the shrill crowing of the cock was still ringing in his ears, the Saviour
turned from the frowning judges, and looked full upon His poor
disciple. At the same time Peter's eyes were drawn to his Master.
In that gentle countenance he read deep pity and sorrow, but there
was no anger there.
"The sight of that pale, suffering face, those quivering lips, that
look of compassion and forgiveness, pierced his heart like an arrow.
. . . He reflected with horror upon his own ingratitude, his false-
hood, his perjury. Once more he looked at his Master, and saw a
sacrilegious hand raised to smite Him in the face. Unable longer to
endure the scene, he rushed, heartbroken, from the hall.
"He pressed on in solitude and darkness, he knew not and cared
not whither. At last he found himself in Gethsemane.. . . On the
very spot where Jesus had poured out His soul in agony to His
Father, Peter fell upon his face, and wished that he might die. It was
in sleeping when Jesus bade him watch and pray that Peter had pre-
pared the way for his great
sin."—"The Desire of Ages," pp. 712, 713.
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